


The Nights Are The Worst

by IWillMakeMyOwnFate



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Azura to the rescue!, Corrin has it rough, F/F, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-14
Updated: 2016-04-14
Packaged: 2018-06-02 05:43:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6553315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWillMakeMyOwnFate/pseuds/IWillMakeMyOwnFate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Night terrors are not a fun thing. Corrin found that out the hard way. Meanwhile, Azura is very worried about Corrin, but she doesn't know what's going on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Nights Are The Worst

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Corrin suffering from night terrors? She turns into a dragon and goes off to be by herself whenever she has one to try and hide the fact that she has them? So after awhile maybe Azura starts noticing?

Corrin sat up in bed with a start. A scream lay trapped within the confines of her throat.All that came out was a silent plea for help. Tears streamed down her face, but she could not recall why.

The feelings had only settled down a little when she was on her feet. She had to get out. She couldn’t be here. Not right now.

Slinking between shadows, Corrin avoided everyone still awake. Admittedly, she knew all the guard patrols by heart. She had to know them. No one could know.

Slipping out into the chilly night only provided a little relief. Only when she was outside the walls of the castle did she relax, albeit only a smidge. Her hand grasped the smooth stone within her pocket. In a flash of light she was free of her human form. Then, she ran.

Corrin ran and ran and ran. She ran until all her emotions were left behind in that castle. She dodged around tree after tree. She ran until all she could feel was the wind rushing past her. The end of the forest appeared quicker than usual. With renewed energy, she ran harder, and when she broke through the treeline she jumped.

There was nothing like flying. Nothing mattered when you’re up in the air. All your problems were so small. Sometimes Corrin wished she never had to come down. But she knew that she had to. Everyone was counting on her and she refused to let them down.

For now though, it was just her and the great sky beyond.

\---

Azura saw the signs. Those damned violet bags beneath her beautiful crimson eyes. Always needing reminders of what she was supposed to be doing. Dozing off whenever she was left alone. Mistake after mistake after mistake in battle. 

Corrin’s condition had declined so gradually that it wouldn’t be noticeable to someone who didn’t know her. But Azura did. But she couldn’t figure out the why. That is until she heard the footsteps. 

Almost every night around the same time she heard them. Soft and nearly silent, they slipped past her bedroom door. One time she snuck a peek. There she saw Corrin’s white hair as she disappeared around the corner.

It wasn’t until she asked Elise about it that she truly got answers.

“Have you noticed that Corrin hasn’t been herself lately?” Azura commented offhandedly one day when she was out in the garden with Elise.

Elise immediately paused the making of her flower crown. Her fingers toyed idly with one of the strands, “So you noticed too,” was all she said.

“Do you know what’s going on?” the singer got straight to the point. There was no point beating around the bush.

A sigh was her only response for a moment. Finally, Elise locked eyes with Azura.  
“Have you ever heard of night terrors?”

“It sounds familiar, aren’t they like nightmares?”

“Not quite. Night terrors are when someone experiences panic or fear for no reason. Unlike nightmares there doesn’t necessarily have to be a dream involved,” Elise’s eyes drifted towards the horizon, “Ever since I can remember Corrin has had night terrors. They were really bad. She would scream, cry, run around the house, and no one could do a thing,” a faraway look had taken over her features, “and then one day they just stopped.”

Azura’s disbelief was palpable, “Stopped? How?”

Elise shrugged, “No one knows. One day they were there and the next they weren’t. I think she was about twelve. Everything just kind of went back to normal after that.” Elise leaned back on her hands and gazed at the clear blue sky, “Want to know what I think caused them?”

“What?”

“Being taken away from her birth family,” the blonde’s eyes travelled back to the singer, “No one should have to go through that. I think that they stopped the say her mind had repressed those memories so much that she just forgot everything from that time. But you know what that means?”

“I’m not sure.”

Never before had Azura seen the young princess so serious and worried.

“Something really must be bothering her for them to be back.”

\---

This time Azura didn’t even wait for the footsteps. She stood patiently by her Corrin’s door. Listening. Waiting. Some of the people who passed gave her weird looks. It didn’t matter. Nothing else mattered except for helping Corrin.

Violent flashing from behind the door snapped Azura out of her trance. Within the blink of an eye she was in the room. Being by her side and not being able to do anything was torture. Truthfully, she wanted to believe that she was the one who could cure Corrin. The only one who was capable. It was all wishful thinking. Nothing's that easy.

With no other options, Azura stood there quietly and watched the person she cared about most suffer. 

Suddenly, Corrin sat up in her bed. Her mouth was open, but no sound emerged. The tears continued to stream down her cheeks.

“Corrin?” Azura whispered quietly. Corrin’s head whipped to the side so fast she was surprised that she didn’t get whiplash. Wide crimson eyes bore into amber ones. The wheels visibly turned behind her eyes. Recognition appeared and then...shame?

“Azura?” her voice was hoarse, “What are you doing here?”

“Corrin, please tell me what’s wrong.”

Corrin watched her hands fiddle with the edge of her blanket, “I’m sorry. I never wanted you to see me like this.”

Azura stayed silent.

“It’s just...everything really. There’s so much going on and so much pressure.” Tear filled crimson eyes met amber ones, “Everyone’s counting on me and I don’t want to let them down. I can’t let them down. I won’t…” Teardrops stained the sheets.

Warm arms wrapped around Corrin. Rigid with surprise, it took a moment for the gesture to register in her brain. When it did, the tears fell faster and she cried into Azura’s shoulder. She cried until nothing was left. The singer rubbed soothing circles on the other girl’s back.

After awhile all Corrin could do was sniffle.

“Do you want to go back to bed now?” Azura whispered into her ear.

“Yeah.”

Azura slowly laid the girl back onto her bed; pulling the blanket snuggly over her weary body. Perched on the edge of the bed, the singer couldn’t help the song that slipped out.

“You are the ocean’s grey waves…”

Corrin’s eyes drifted shut, and by the time the song was done she was asleep again. As quietly as she could, Azura stood back up and turned away. A weak hand grasped her wrist before she could make it far. A look back over her shoulder showed barely open crimson eyes. The hand dropped a moment later.

“Please, don’t leave,” the whisper was so quiet it was almost imperceptible. 

With a nod, Azura slid beneath the covers with Corrin. Slender arms encircled the white haired girl. Silence reigned over the bedroom.

“Thank you,” was the last thing Azura heard before Corrin fell into a deep sleep.

Azura knew that it would take more than this to cure Corrin, if she could be cured, but she knew that no matter what happens, she would be by her side every step of the way.


End file.
